FraudTalk is a blog focused on the review and discussion of recent significant cases of fraud, corruption and employee misconduct - particularly major embezzlement cases in the US. Fraud Talk is published by Chris Marquet, Chairman & CEO of Marquet International Ltd., an international investigations, litigation support and due diligence firm.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Florida Woman Who Embezzled Nearly $650K Claimed She Had Cancer To Deflect Scrutiny

Kelly Lisa Duncan, 46, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, recently plead guilty to embezzling $647,799 from the Imperial Point Animal Hospital's Veterinarian Management Associates Inc., where she had been employed as an office manager. According to authorities, Duncan issued payroll checks "to non-existent employees and issuing second payroll checks to employees, which she later cashed at a local bank, using the money for her own benefit." Testimony given in the case by business owner and veterinarian Robert Buzzetti reveals that for three years Duncan claimed to have cancer in order to deflect scrutiny of the books and records she was charged with maintaining. Prosecutors allege that Duncan, over a period of nearly 7 years, from December 2004 to October 2010, siphoned funds from the business. Duncan was sentenced to 41 months in prison - the maximum allowable - for the one count of mail fraud to which she plead guilty.

2 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I worked at Imperial Point Animal Hosp until December of 2010. I was and still am upset over what happened. I always thought of Kelly as an honest and caring person. I know she did wrong by stealing. But Kelly had & maybe still does have a caring heart. She always helped us employee out. Talking to us when we had personal issues and so forth.. She also has an overwhelming desire to rescue and help care for animals who are sick & homeless. I have to admit that even though she did wrong by stealing, that i miss having her to talk to and call when i get upset or sad. There is two sides to kelly lisa duncan. And it's too bad that the good, caring side of her might be forgotten as time passes.

She is not a kind and caring person, this is all a ruse to manipulate people. She can destroy anyone in her path with her lies and thievery. She is not kind and caring she is a pathologic hoarder!!! A pathologic liar and thief.

About the Author - Chris Marquet

Chris Marquet is President, Investigative Services with SunBlock Systems, an investigations, litigation support, computer forensics & cyber security firm. Chris has over 34 years of professional experience in industry with Marquet International and prior stints with Kroll Associates, Citigate Global Intelligence and Decision Strategies/Vance International.
Chris is the author of many articles and white papers, including the annual Marquet Report on Embezzlement as well as the Marquet Report on Ponzi Schemes. He has lectured extensively on subjects relating to employee misconduct; due diligence; business intelligence, internal investigations, fraud, employee integrity, workplace violence, kidnapping, terrorism, crisis management and travel security.
Chris is a Certified Board Advisor and Board Member for the Center for Strategic Business Integrity. He received an A.B. degree from Dartmouth College in 1983, with a triple major in Physics, Economics, and Philosophy.
He can be reached at cmarquet@sunblocksystems.com